Abused Women Help Centers & Programs
This project, based initially in Lebanon, aims to provide assistance for young women in distress as a result of battery, substance abuse, and sex crimes.
Our goal is to open centers that will help these women regain confidence and rebuild their physical, mental, and spiritual health, in order to allow them to rejoin society.
The program will also deal with literacy, teaching creative, artistic and various trade skills, as well as other means of self-support.
Our Mission is to:
Our goal is to open centers that will help these women regain confidence and rebuild their physical, mental, and spiritual health, in order to allow them to rejoin society.
The program will also deal with literacy, teaching creative, artistic and various trade skills, as well as other means of self-support.
Our Mission is to:
- Help physically and mentally abused women regardless of one's religion, sect, age, nationality, etc and to find safe and secure places for them after leaving our Help Centers & Homes.
- Help women addicted to intoxicating substances to be rehabilitated in order to become fully integrated in society.
- Help women emotionally, psychologically, physically, and spiritually.
- Help women improve their education and technical skills, and train them to find suitable jobs.
- Help establish other similar centers.
Beit el-Hanane
(Home of Tenderness)
Home of Tenderness is a non-profit, non-denominational (non-sectarian), non-discriminatory, charitable organization that deals with the problems of abused women in Lebanon. It promotes community awareness and education to break a cycle of violence and abuse; and it provides an environment of encouragement, compassion, and support for all who come in contact with it.
The project is being built in three phases:
Housing / Accommodation with first aid and care available
Rehabilitation, education, and reintegration of women into society
Protective custody of condemned women
First Step: Housing / Accommodation
The apartment has been purchased. Beit el-Hanane has been providing a temporary shelter where first-aid, medical, and psychological care is being given. There is a nurse, a social worker, and a psychotherapist ready to consult, analyze, and find solutions. Food and care is being provided for a short period of time, until longer-term solutions can be found and implemented. The apartment includes three bedrooms, a living area, a receiving area, a kitchen and dining room, as well as two big balconies. One of the balconies can be closed and used as another living area, if needed. Additional upgrading will be furniture, appliances, a security system, a heating/cooling system, a telephone (hotlines)... and of course government registration fees, insurance, electricity, water...
As women seeking refuge are often without adequate help and protection, well-trained staff is available: a licensed nurse, social worker, psychotherapist. An overseer resides at the home full-time.
Thus far, we have several community leaders supporting the project: two judges (one female Christian, the other male Muslim), a doctor, a lawyer and many volunteers for the rest of the work. Other services will be developed later on like referrals to shelters around us when appropriate, crisis outreach, education, support and protection of women and children in abusive homes, and other services.
There is an immediate and urgent need for volunteers to help us with all follow-up tasks. These individuals will tend to phones, initial interviewing of those seeking help, spiritual needs, general organization of the center, writing informative letters about the Beit El-Hanane's progress and activities, consulting and advising, and advertising and raising funds for all aspects of the Home. In this manner we hope to keep all costs down in order to ensure that each person in need will be sponsored.
The project is being built in three phases:
Housing / Accommodation with first aid and care available
Rehabilitation, education, and reintegration of women into society
Protective custody of condemned women
First Step: Housing / Accommodation
The apartment has been purchased. Beit el-Hanane has been providing a temporary shelter where first-aid, medical, and psychological care is being given. There is a nurse, a social worker, and a psychotherapist ready to consult, analyze, and find solutions. Food and care is being provided for a short period of time, until longer-term solutions can be found and implemented. The apartment includes three bedrooms, a living area, a receiving area, a kitchen and dining room, as well as two big balconies. One of the balconies can be closed and used as another living area, if needed. Additional upgrading will be furniture, appliances, a security system, a heating/cooling system, a telephone (hotlines)... and of course government registration fees, insurance, electricity, water...
As women seeking refuge are often without adequate help and protection, well-trained staff is available: a licensed nurse, social worker, psychotherapist. An overseer resides at the home full-time.
Thus far, we have several community leaders supporting the project: two judges (one female Christian, the other male Muslim), a doctor, a lawyer and many volunteers for the rest of the work. Other services will be developed later on like referrals to shelters around us when appropriate, crisis outreach, education, support and protection of women and children in abusive homes, and other services.
There is an immediate and urgent need for volunteers to help us with all follow-up tasks. These individuals will tend to phones, initial interviewing of those seeking help, spiritual needs, general organization of the center, writing informative letters about the Beit El-Hanane's progress and activities, consulting and advising, and advertising and raising funds for all aspects of the Home. In this manner we hope to keep all costs down in order to ensure that each person in need will be sponsored.
Beite El Rahme (Home of Grace)
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For the past two years, we have been involved in the creation of a second home, Beite El Rahme, or Home of Grace. There, a small piece of land is being farmed with organic vegetables teaching the women how to work the land. The produce that they are growing is feeding both the Beite El Rahme and Beit el-Hanane homes.
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Indigenous Women
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The colonial desire for more land provided the “removal" of Native Americans through forced assimilation tactics, such as forced adoptions and boarding schools.
In a study conducted at four sites in the U.S. and Canada, an average of 40% of women involved in sex trafficking identified as [Native American] or First Nations. They make up 10% of the population. More than 1 in 3 Native American and Alaska Native women will be raped in their lifetime and more than 6 in 10 will be physically assaulted. Native women are stalked at more than twice the rate of other women. Native women are murdered at more than ten times the national average. Non-Indians commit 88% of violent crimes against Native women.” According to Dr. Sandi Pierce, leading sex trafficking researcher and Native scholar. Our goal is to train women who have escaped human trafficking at a safe house along with a team from the Air Force Academy who will conduct a two day self defense course. There will also be times for creating pieces of art that can be a healing process and discussions about their strength as women and instruction in other stress relieving activities. At the conclusion of the event, the women will enjoy a gourmet meal prepared by Chef Philippe Accad. "Breaking bread" is an important tradition in all cultures and brings together ideas and relaxation. |
